- Cucurbit downy mildew has been reported on cucumber (6/16/21) and cantaloupe (6/22/21) in southern New Jersey. For more information on CDM and its control please click here. To track the progress of CDM please visit the CDM forecasting website.
- No reports of Late blight in the region. To track the progress of Late blight in the US please click here.
- Bacterial leaf spot (BLS) has been reported on ‘Paladin’ bell pepper in southern New Jersey which has no resistance to BLS.
- Rhizoctonia root rot has been found in sugar beet in New Jersey.
- Northern corn leaf blight has been confirmed in sweet corn in southern New Jersey.
- Basil downy mildew has been reported from multiple locations in southern New Jersey. All basil growers are encouraged to scout their plantings on a daily basis. For more information on controlling BDM please click here. To follow the progress of BDM in the US please click here.
- Rhizoctonia and Pythium root rot have been reported in pepper. For a review of identifying and controlling root rots please click here.
- With the on and off again heavy rains we have been getting, along with warmer weather, all growers should consider applying at-transplanting fungicides for root rot control. Please click here to see these articles.
- The 2020/2021 Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations Guide is available for free online! With many county offices running reduced hours or being closed this is the easiest way to obtain the newest recommendations.
- For a quick review on managing fungicide resistance development using tank mixes and fungicide rotations, and information on FRAC group 4, FRAC group 7, and FRAC group 3 and FRAC group 11 fungicides please click on hyperlinks.
Vegetable Crops Edition
Seasonal updates and alerts on insects, diseases, and weeds impacting vegetable crops. New Jersey Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations updates between annual publication issues are included.
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NJ Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations
Rutgers Weather Forecasting - Meteorological Information important to commercial agriculture.
June 23, 2021 Andy Wyenandt
Vegetable Disease Update – 6/22/21
June 22, 2021 Andy Wyenandt
Cucurbit Downy Mildew Alert – Cantaloupe – 6/22/21
Cucurbit downy mildew has been confirmed on cantaloupe in southern New Jersey. This is the first report of CDM on cantaloupe and the second this growing season. CDM was confirmed on cucumber on 6/16/21. All cucumber and cantaloupe growers should scout on a daily basis and initiate a preventative fungicide program. CDM has also been confirmed on cucumber in Ontario, Canada this week. Remember, some CDM isolates fall into Clade I which predominately infect watermelon, pumpkin, and squash, where other CDM isolates in Clade II predominately infect cucumber and cantaloupe.
For more information on CDM, the clades, and CDM control please click here.
June 18, 2021 Andy Wyenandt
Cucurbit Downy Mildew Alert – Cucumber – 6/16/21
Cucurbit downy mildew has been confirmed on cucumber in southern New Jersey. This is the first report of CDM in the state and region this growing season. All cucumber and cantaloupe growers should scout on a daily basis and initiate a preventative fungicide program. CDM has also been confirmed on cucumber in Ontario, Canada this week. Remember, some CDM isolates fall into Clade I which predominately infect watermelon, pumpkin, and squash, where other CDM isolates in Clade II predominately infect cucumber and cantaloupe.
For more information on CDM, the clades, and CDM control please click here.
June 18, 2021 Andy Wyenandt
Important resources for pepper disease control
Pepper production is in full swing in New Jersey and the mid-Atlantic region. Below are links to useful resources for the identification and management of important pepper diseases.
Early-season Phytophthora and Pythium control
Preparing for pepper anthracnose
Phytophthora-tolerant and -resistant bell pepper variety trial reports
Survey continuing for bacterial leaf spot and copper resistance in 2021 growing season
June 16, 2021 Kris Holmstrom and Joe Ingerson-Mahar
Vegetable IPM Update 6/16/21
Sweet Corn
Low numbers of European corn borer (ECB) moths continue to be captured, with little change from the previous week. We anticipate that this initial flight is nearing its’ end. The highest adult activity is currently Gloucester County (see map below at right). Whorl corn is the primary target for egg laying, and injury as high as 40% of plants infested has been found in Hunterdon County this week. This high feeding percentage is an outlier relative to what scouts are typically finding this season. Most infestations are in the single-to- mid teens in terms of plants infested. It is typical for feeding percentages to rise as the moth catch declines. We expect feeding to increase for the next 1-2 weeks before peaking.
Look for the characteristic “shot-hole” type of feeding (photo below at right) and consider treating when infested plants exceed 12% in a 50 plant sample. As plantings proceed to the pre-tassel stage, ECB larvae may be found in emerging tassels (see photo at left). It is a good idea to treat individual plantings as they move into the full tassel/first silk stage one time. This eliminates any ECB larvae that have emerged with the tassels as they begin to move down the stalk to re-enter near developing ears.
Useful insecticides for this particular application include synthetic 
pyrethroids (IRAC Grp 3), spinosyns (including OMRI approved Entrust) IRAC Grp 5), and diamides such as Coragen or Vantacor (IRAC Grp 28) or materials such as Besiege which include the active ingredient in Coragen. Synthetic pyrethroids alone should NOT be used for corn earworm (CEW) protection on silking corn. Control with these materials is very inconsistent.
The highest nightly trap catches of ECB for the week ending 6/16/21 are as follows:
| Downer 3 | Dayton 1 | Lawrenceville 1 |
| Asbury 1 | Denville 1 | Medford 1 |
| Centerton 1 | Hillsborough 1 | Sergeantsville 1 |
| Chester 1 | Jones Island 1 | Tabernacle 1 |
June 16, 2021 Andy Wyenandt
Important resources for cucurbit disease control
The cucurbit growing season is well under way in New Jersey and the rest of the mid-Atlantic region. Below are links to useful resources for the identification and management of important cucurbit diseases.
Cucurbit Powdery and Downy Mildew: A Tale of Two Pathogens
The downy mildew forecasting website
Preparing for cucurbit downy mildew
Preparing for cucurbit powdery mildew
Preparing for Anthracnose and Alternaria Leaf Blights in Cucurbit Crops
Recognizing and controlling Angular leaf spot in cucurbits
Recognizing and controlling Plectosporium blight in cucurbits
Controlling Phytophthora and Rhizoctonia root rots
Destroying cucurbit plantings after harvest
